DawnPiece2

Dawn Pickens Position Paper

The art of writing is the beauty of knowing and being known. I consider it an honor to know you, to read your work. Only by making myself known can I even hope to affect change. I must make myself known. I must choose to be known.

Writing affords power to the author. “Power is about being able to craft a piece of writing so effectively that its purpose is achieved.” (Fox 20) What I write and how effectively I write it will determine my power to affect change.

Effective writing is a lifelong skill. We all write emails, letters, lists, and notes; each task with a purpose. When the communication is clearly organized and correctly structured it will achieve its purpose.

Writing is an expression of relationship. I have to trust you enough to let you know a part of me: my desire, my joy, my pain, my angst. With every word that is written you can discern a piece of me.

In a world where many children have little power to affect change, writing offers those who have honed the craft “power and therefore more control.” (Fox 21) Children often lack a control, or a voice in their lives. They are small and young, they lack experience, they lack the knowledge and the power to be heard and known. To be heard, one must learn the language that enables hearing; learn to write.

Written language is a skill that must be taught to be learned. It will not be acquired without instruction. To become a powerful and effective writer requires practice. Not just practice for its own sake, but practice with a purpose. Children need daily, purposeful reasons to write for expression beyond “fill in the blank” exercises. Children need to experience the power, the affect, and the impact of their writing. The environment in which children hone this craft needs to be safe. So much of life is not. It is my job to create/craft an environment where children feel safe to share the pangs of their hearts.

Writing, when done well, can have a major impact on our lives. A well written plea for a puppy or after dinner snack can be a powerful thing. If a child chooses to let you know his simplest desire and in turn knows that he was heard, imagine when he chooses to let you know the aching of his heart.

(Dawn--the love the changes you've made to this. Just rearranging your ideas has made them much clearer and much stronger! I'm still wondering if the next-to-last paragraph is in the right place? Great job!--Nancy)

Meg - I think Nancy makes a good organizational point. Combining that next to the last paragraph with the others in which children needs for voice, a sense of power, and writing practice are discussed it might keep the organziation from doubling back on itself. You might end up discussing children in one paragraph and your involvement in the teaching in another.